Week 1: The Triboar Trail
Week 1: The Triboar Trail 4/20 - 4/23 AS 918-921 When we left off... A group of travelers recruited by Sildar Hallwinter and Gundren Rockseeker gathered in the tavern outside of Holzdorf: Selgaard Sorensson, a proud Nord of Skyrim battling for mead, Talos, and Sovngarde; Sir Quintus of Rufurio, an aged and lisping Knight of the Auric Bridge, with terrible scars;' Dargrim Rustfire', a Dwarven brewer burned by the Spellplague and seeking answers; Ulfar Coingrip, a Dwarven "scout" and one-time engraver, who blends seemlessly with shadow; and Claudius "Clyde" of Earstheim, a contemplative Half-Elven monk who heavily preferred structured tactics in combat. There was definitely nobody named Ulfric, Chad. '' After meeting at the wagon for a quick breakfast, the group departed Holzdorf for Fort Bjornvall along safe and well maintained roads. With an easy journey behind you, everyone had an opportunity to spend the night lodging at Bjornvall, getting to know the people with whom you would travel for the better part of a week. From Bjornvall, the map led over a Storm-scattered fragment of The High Road -- and outside of the Kingdom of Blackaxe. The group made camp under a bridge, taking stock of the wagon and their rations for the first time. '''Sildar '''and '''Gundren' packed several barrels of salt-pork, a few sacks of flour, and a large quantity of lard, salt, and sugar... but no rations for their hired help. You all dipped into your own supply, and discussed options for sustenence on the road ahead. The next day, the High Road ended in a twisted bridge, and you all branched into the forest along the Triboar Trail. The trail was much rougher road than anything you had encountered up to that point, and the oxen were forced to move a bit more slowly. This allowed Ulfar '''to spot a pair of dead horses in the road ahead. He scouted the area, and reported back. The group was prepared for the pending ambush, when four Cragmaw Goblins''' emerged from the brush with bows and arrows. They were met by Selgaard, who charged forth with his polearm in his hands and a taunt on his lips. Two took pot-shots at the front-runners, injuring the Nord and severely wounding Sir Quintus. Dargrim surprised everyone, including himself, by healing Sir Quintus with a word. Clyde used his sling to offer suppressing fire, while Ulfar shot his crossbow to deadly effect, and the goblins were defeated. Their tracks led into the forest, and after a short rest the group came to a decision: the oxen, Bessie '''and '''Tessie, would be hitched in a safe spot to graze (with a bucket of water) and the wagon would be concealed off the road. Then, you all tracked the goblins back to a cave. The entrance was guarded by wolves and a sentry -- all easily dispatched with ranged weapons and frost rays. Less easily delt with was the lound sound of the water, the total darkness of the deep caverns, and a deluge formed when a goblin engineer strategically broke a dam. Still, the group pushed forward, slaying half a dozen goblins along the way. In a deep chamber, Clyde pushed forward and was met with a devastating injury. Selgaard charged to fight to the goblins' leader, a bugbear named Klarg, while Ulfar maneuvered with his crossbow. Sir Quintus stepped up to deal with Klarg's wolf, but was overwhelmed by the goblins' superior numbers. Thanks to his healing kit, Dargrim stabilized Clyde and Quintus. However, Ulfar also fell, and it seemed unlikely that Dargrim could get to him in time... That is, until Selgaard struck a critical blow against Klarg, and administered the healing balm to Ulfar himself. You decided to rest in the cave, tending to your wounds and taking stock of the gathered treasures in Klarg's hoard. It was mostly copper, but you did find a large assortment of goods branded with the blue logo of the Lionshield Coster trading post. Around Town See the Epilogue.